Insulation slitting pliers



April 15, 1958 J s ou 2,830,367

INSULATION SLITTING PLIERS Filed March 28, 1956 INVENTOR PHILIP a. SEYMOUR ATTORNEY Unite rates Patent 9 1N SULATHBN SLITTING PLIERS Philip J. Seymour, tClinton, Mass. Application March 23, 1956, Serial No. 574,559 1 Claim. (CI. 30-91) This invention relates to a new and improved electriians tool and comprises means for cutting and stripping :able insulation, such as Romex and the like, cutting l-Ild stripping the insulation from small wires including .tranded wires, means for cutting the wires, means for tolding the wires in the manner of pliers, and means for rending the wire itself for the purpose of forming loops be applied to binding posts and the like whereby an :lectrician is provided with a single tool accomplishing 111 the purposes of making electrical connections and tvoiding the necessity of carrying several difierent tools 15 has been found necessary in the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be 11 which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a tool according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, looking in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. l and illustrating the action of slitting;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view, looking in the direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the opposite side of the tool from that illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 illustrates wire in partially stripped condition.

In carrying out the present invention, the same may be applied to a tool similar to a pair of pliers pivoted as at 10 and provided with handles 12 and 14 for opening and closing jaws 16 and 18 respectively.

The jaws themselves are made in the nature of cross heads which gradually increase in thickness as shown in Fig. 2 from the handles themselves to an appreciable width to accommodate the various tools involved.

At one lateral edge of the respective jaws 16 and 18, the same are formed into sharp edge overlapping teeth, these being indicated at 20 and 22. These teeth are also shown in Fig. 5 and when the jaws of the pliers are open, they are spaced from each other, but when the jaws are closed, they overlap to a very appreciable degree as seen in Fig. 3. These jaws are relatively sharp pointed as seen in Fig. 5 and they are provided with sharp shearing edges 24 at the forward portions thereof and 26 at the rearward portions thereof Just inwardly of these sharpened teeth 20 and 22, there is provided in the jaws a complementary pair of relatively large openings indicated at 28, and this is made to accommodate one-half of an insulated and covered cable indicated generally at 30. This type of cable is provided with electric wires 32 which are insulated with rubber or plastic 34 in the usual way and covered with paper or other insulating means in turn encased in a heavy covering as is well known in the art.

had to the accompanying drawings,

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Inwardly of the opening 28, there is a relatively small wire stripping cutter 34' and a similar but larger wire stripping cutter 36 to accommodate and strip the insulation from wires of diiferent gauge. These cutters provide passages for the wire to be drawn through, but when the jaws are closed as in Figs. 3 and 4, the wires 32 will not be severed. The insulation at 34 will be severed and withdrawn as indicated by the cut-off portion of insulation 38 in Fig. 6.

At the opposite side edges of the combined jaws 16 and 18, there is a ground-01f flattened jaw portion as at 40, 42, and this is for the purpose of holding wires without crushing the same when the jaws are brought together with the wires located in the area of the jaws 40 and 42.

One or both of the handles 12, 14 is provided with an inwardly-directed slot indicated at 44, and this is for the purpose of receiving one of the stripped ends 32 of the electric Wires for bending it. This slot is proportionate relative to the thickness and width of the handle in which it is located to provide a correct loop for application to a screw or binding post as will be clear to those skilled in the art.

In the use of the tool, the sharp teeth 20 and 22 are applied to the central portion of the Romex at a point X inwardly of the end of the cable which represents the length to be stripped. Having punctured the cable covering at this point, the tool is pulled in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 so as to slit the heavy covering 30 to the:

very end thereof at Y.

By thus slitting the covering 30, the insulated wires: 34 are exposed and may be operated upon to provide extending bare ends for forming loops to be applied to:

electric connections. This is done as will be clear by the strippers 34', 36, depending upon the gauge of wire.

To the rear of the implements thus far described, the tool includes heavy wire cutting means generally indicated at 46, 46. This wire cutter is of more or less usual type including sharpened cutting edges which come together and cut the wires or the same may be used to cut 01f pieces of insulation after having been slit by the teeth 20, 22.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

A tool comprising a pair of relatively wide jaws pivotally secured together adapted to be opened and closed by respective handle extensions for each jaw, and insulation cutting tooth on each jaw at corresponding edges therof, said teeth overlapping each other when the jaws are closed and having sharpened edges arranged parallel to the handles, corresponding edges of said jaws having complementary recesses open at both ends and located adjacent said teeth, said recesses together receiving approximately one-half of a twin lead cable for slitting the covering thereof by said teeth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ehinger Apr. 3, 1956 

